30/1 1922 г.

т. To Molotov for all members of the Politburo

I have just received and read Chicherin's ultra-secret letter1to all members of the Politburo. I think that we must not reject Chicherin's idea at once, but must discuss it more carefully, taking into account the results of the work of the Pilyavsky Commission and weighing more accurately the size of all claims and all counter-claims.

I propose to put this question for discussion on Thursday, without writing anything down in the minutes, and to make a final decision after a preliminary discussion at the Thursday meeting, questioning then additionally all members of the P[olit]bureau. It is possible that Chicherin's proposal is the most rational.

On the question of special conspiracy measures for ultra-secret messages, I propose to appoint one of the party secretaries under Molotov (or Molotov himself) to control that ultra-secret papers are returned to him personally and burned by him personally.

30/I 22.

Lenin.

Received by tel[ephone]

L. Fotieva.

Fond 2, op. 2, d. 1105 - autograph of L.A.Fotieva.

1The letter mentioned by V.I.Lenin G.V.Chicherin dated January 30, 1922. is devoted to working out the position of the Soviet government at the Genoa Conference in connection with the ultimatum demand of France to recognize the resolution of the Cannes Conference; Chicherin proposed: "1) under the influence of their ultimatum at the conference to accept the Cannes resolution; 2) in full compliance with it to put counterclaims, which will cover everything (it is possible), but in the further course of negotiations, if necessary, to buy a large loan by lowering our counterclaims, and if without that there will be no loan, to lower even our counterclaims below their claims, haggling about the difference and turning it in the form of "conversion" in a new loan to us" (RCCHIDNI, f. 5, op. 1, d. 1952, l. 25-26). On the same day Chicherin sent a second letter to Lenin, in which he outlined the position of the British government: "England will not go to a serious economic agreement, and even more so on the final peace with us without our recognition of obligations to private individuals, even if in principle, even if practically covered by counter-retentions and conversion with the transfer of partial actual payment in the very distant future" (Ibid., d. 2061, fol. 5). The next day Lenin sent Molotov a letter in which he canceled the published letter (see doc. 351).

The Cannes Conference was held from January 6 to 13, 1922 in France (Cannes), it was attended by representatives of the countries that were members of the Supreme Council of the Entente (Belgium, Great Britain, Italy, France and Japan). It was decided to hold a conference on economic and financial issues in Genoa (Italy) in order to find measures for the economic recovery of Central and Eastern Europe. The resolution of the Cannes Conference declared the equality of different property systems, political and economic forms existing in the world and at the same time demanded the return of nationalized foreign property and recognition of debts of previous governments (see: Documents of Foreign Policy of the USSR. Moscow, 1961, vol. V, pp. 58-59).